The present invention relates to a takeup device for tightening a firefighter garment about the waist of a firefighter. The takeup device may be used in combination with a pair of firefighter pants or a firefighter jacket. Each of these garments includes a waist portion which must be adjusted from time to time by tightening the garment about the firefighter's body. Accordingly, takeup devices have been provided for tightening the waist portion of such garments. Such prior art takeup devices have generally proved to be unsatisfactory because of difficulty in operating them in the field, and because many of them are constructed similar to aircraft seat belts with loose and dangling ends which are undesirable during firefighting operations.
Since such takeup devices may be operated while under adverse conditions and while a firefighter is wearing gloves, they must be capable of being operated simply by grasping the device and tugging it forwardly relative to the firefighter. In other words, a pair of takeup devices are connected to the garment at the waist portion thereof adjacent the opposite hips of a firefighter. The takeup at the left hip can be gripped by the right hand, and the takeup at the right hip can be gripped by the left hand and pulled forwardly to tighten the waist portion of the garment about the body of a firefighter.
Accordingly, it is a principal objective of the invention to provide a takeup device which can be readily operated and which eliminates any loose or dangling ends.